Young Forests

As we explored last week, old forests are much less common in the Northeast than they once were. Ironically, the same is true of young forests. In Calais, there were probably about 900 acres of young forest—less than 15 to 20 years old—at any given time before European settlement. Today, that figure has shrunk to fewer than 200 acres.

Young forests are vital for many animals because their dense low-growing vegetation provides cover, nesting sites, and foraging opportunities. They serve as safe havens for small mammals and critical breeding areas for many birds. Migratory songbirds, in particular, are suffering from the loss of young forest habitat in the Northeast. Many species are seeing dramatic population declines because they lack the brushy low cover needed to raise their young. For example, populations of Canada warblers and white-throated sparrows—two species that breed in young forests—declined by 62% and 72% in the 25 years between 1989 and 2013.

Both the Vermont Conservation Design and Audubon Vermont agree that we should aim to restore young forests to about 5% of our total forested acreage. In Calais, this would require a five-fold increase in the current amount of young forest. Historically, young forests were created when natural disturbances like wind, ice storms, and beaver flooding created regenerating openings in the forest. Those disturbances are less common today, and most young forests are created by logging or when old fields are abandoned.

Humans often prefer mature forests with clear understories and tidy fields free of brush, which can get in the way of creating young forest habitat. Common approaches to creating young forest habitat include cutting trees to create new canopy openings and mowing fields less frequently to keep them brushy. Intentional management strategies like these can be effective, but they must be done correctly to provide the right habitat conditions and to avoid disrupting sensitive natural communities.